April 2018

Dear Sangha,

In Zen we encourage ourselves to embody the dharma. Why?

Actually we don’t have any real choice in the matter. We are either alive, or not. We either 1) chase phantoms of thought and cling to the psychic rollercoaster of delusive passions, or…. 2) we embody the dharma and choose to be here now, and live the super-abundant bounty of present moment reality.

There’s a famous kong-an that asks, simply, “Why are there no other animals in the lion’s den?” The poetic metaphor of a lion is often found in writings from both Indian and Chinese Buddhism. The implication is clear. Believe in yourself 100%. Just do it!

Embodiment has nothing to do with liking or disliking, feeling happy or sad or even neutral. It has everything to do with being alive. To be alive to present moment reality, it then becomes possible to find our fitting function, whether it be to march in Washington, to sooth a child from a terrifying dream, or to ride the back of a crazy wooly sheep at the county fair.

Be well, which is another way of saying, be alive! Yours in the undying dharma,

Jeong Ji
photo by Eric Nord, JDPSN
April Events
Kong-An Interviews:

1st Tuesday with Zen Master Jeong Ji: see Kyol Che Schedule

2nd Sunday with Zen Master Jeong Ji or Eric Nord, JDPSN: cancelled due to Buddha's Birthday

3rd Wednesday with Zen Master Jeong Ji: April 18th

3rd Thursday with Eric Nord, JDPSN: cancelled due to dharma talk

Consulting Interviews: none this month

Special Chanting: Sunday, April 1st

Tacoma Saturday Meditation: not scheduled this month

Please visit the  website calendar for complete and current details of these events and for the weekly practice schedule. 
Buddha's Birthday

Please join us for a celebration of Shakyamuni Buddha's birthday on Sunday, April 8th.

9:30am - Ceremony
10:30am - Vegetarian Potluck
11:30am - Sangha Meeting
12:30pm - Board of Trustees Meeting

Friends and family are warmly welcome to attend.
Sangha Meeting

As many of you know, we hold two sangha meetings a year after Buddha's Birthday Ceremony in April and Buddha's Enlightenment Ceremony in December. It's a wonderful time for our sangha to meet as a whole to discuss the current well-being and future direction of our community. Members and guests are encouraged to attend and are welcome to add agenda items at the beginning of the meeting, or may contact Abbot Tom beforehand. You are also welcome to submit anonymous comments and suggestions at any time to the donation box.

We hope all interested people and practitioners will consider becoming a member of our community. Not only do you gain practical benefits such as discounts on retreats and access to our members-only section of talks and teachings on the website, but you will be supported in your practice and become a vital participant of our sangha family. Your support helps us to maintain our building and grounds, and allows us to offer the dharma for all beings. For more information, see the Membership page of the website or contact us at info@blueheronzen.org.
Dharma Talk

Thursday, April 19th, 7pm

Please join us for a public dharma talk. Abbot and Senior Dharma Teacher Tom Campbell will give the introductory talk titled "Making your Reality", and Zen Master Jeong Ji will answer questions from the audience. Everyone is welcome.
Three Day Retreat with Zen Master Jeong Ji

Friday - Sunday, April 20-22
Fri-Sat: 6am - 8:30pm
Sun: 6am - 3pm

Join us for the third retreat of Kyol Che. Retreats offer a rare opportunity to let go of the demands of our busy lives and recognize our inherent compassion and wisdom through dedicated Zen training. Each day includes chanting, sitting and walking meditation, work practice, a private kong-an interview and formal vegetarian meals. Here’s more detailed retreat information and retreat schedule.

Members: $30 plus dana* per day, Non-members: $40 plus dana* per day.
*dana is a voluntary gratitude to our teacher

Please register online by Tuesday, April 17th.
Silent Meditation Hike

Saturday, April 14th

Take your practice outside and join Blue Heron Zen Community for a silent meditation day hike. We'll meet at Blue Heron/Seattle in the morning and carpool. Bring sit pad or something to sit on, appropriate gear and footwear for hiking several miles, snack/lunch, and water. Call/text Jill at 206-349-2144 if you would like to join.
Visit from The Northwest School

Adina Meyer and students from her humanities class at The Northwest School paid a visit to our Zen Center following Wednesday morning practice. They had read some about Buddhism and Zen before coming, but said they came to experience Zen first hand. Greg Eisen and Lisa Kaufman were there to greet them and present a short talk on the history, teachings, and practice of Zen followed by an opportunity for the students to experience sitting and walking meditation, and time for their comments and questions. It was great to have them visit and for us to be able to share our practice with them. They also visited Sakya Monastery and Atammayatarama Buddhist Monastery as part of their studies.
Blue Heron Zen Community in Northwest Dharma News

Check out the recent article by Abbot Tom Campbell in the spring edition of Northwest Dharma News about our building permitting and renovation project. Deep bows of appreciation to Tom, the sangha, and friends of the sangha, for the contributions of money and labor to make this vision a reality. May Blue Heron Zen Community continue to offer a place of practice and refuge for many generations to come!
Residential Openings

The Blue Heron Zen Community has residential openings for students who are serious about their Zen training practice. This is a wonderful opportunity to deepen one's meditation effort by living in our beautiful Zen Center.

If you, or anyone you know, is interested, please read the residential guidelines and send a note with your interest to Abbot Tom Campbell at info@blueheronzen.org.
Dharma Audio

Please check out a couple new talks by Zen Master Jeong Ji that were added to the website recently under Teachings - Dharma Audio. You will also find some short talks from after practice.
Outreach Event: Prayers at Idris Mosque

On Saturday, March 31st, the BHZC and Idris Mosque have organized a community outreach to attend the evening prayers (Maghrib) at the Idris Mosque ( 1420 NE Northgate Way, Seattle, WA 98125).Everyone is encouraged to attend and bring any interested family, friends, neighbors or co-workers. We will all sit together in the back of the main prayer hall. 

You can either car pool from the Zen Center or meet there. We will be leaving the Zen Center by 7:05 PM as we want go into the Mosque at 7:20. If you don’t car pool just meet by the front door of the Mosque before 7:20 so we can go in together. 

If you attend, please dress modestly (formal attire is not necessary). Hair coverings for women are not required…at other functions some non-Muslims wear them and others do not…it is up to you. All attendees, men and women, will sit together.

There is a beautiful call to prayers before the prayers start at 7:38. The prayers are 15 minutes or so. After the prayers they’d love to answer any questions. Bring your questions!

I hope you can attend this outreach, observe and see for yourself, and show love and kindness to these our neighbors.

Yours in the dharma,
John Craycraft
Looking Forward

Neighborhood Spring Clean, Sunday, May 20

Fundamentals of Zen Workshop, Sunday, May 20th

Three Day Retreat with Eric Nord, JDPSN, Fri-Sun, June 8-10